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Teams from across nation flock to area for Tate's annual Aggie Classic

BRIAN ACHATZ, bachatz@pnj.com
Published 3:02 p.m. CT March 17, 2018

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The Tate Aggies like their chances this year with an experienced group and first-year head coach Karl Jernigan.
Brian Achatz

Tate's Logan McGuffey (15) is waved home and scores on a two run triple hit by Hunter NeSmith against Coweta during the 2017 Aggie Classic Tuesday night at Tate High School.(Photo11: Jody Link/online@PNJ.com)

One of the area's premiere high school sporting events returns Monday when the 26th Tate Aggie Classic kicks off, featuring 19 high-caliber baseball teams from five states playing in the four-day tournament.

Five teams from Florida are in the field, with Tate and West Florida representing the Pensacola area. Navarre and Escambia will host games, but aren't in the field.

Oklahoma is the most well-represented, with nine teams, while Tennessee has two. Alabama and Arkansas both have one team each.

The tournament opens with three days of round robin play, then ends with the top four teams from that re-seeded for a championship bracket day on Thursday at Tate.

First-year Tate head coach Karl Jernigan is familar with the prestigious tradition of the Aggie Classic, as he played in it for Milton High, and has also coached in the tournament as an assistant at Pace.

Tate is trying for its third consecutive Aggie Classic title.

"It's kind of like a third-generation thing for me, you could say," Jernigan said. "This thing goes way back. The Aggie Classic has been fun and enjoyable for me every year I have been part of it."

As the head coach of the host school, though, this year is decidedly different.

"It's been such a great experience so far and we are really looking forward to next week. It's an awesome ordeal and a great tradition," Jernigan said. "We've got the the first part of our season out of the way and we will be able to see what we have when we are up against some great teams.

"I could not do this without the help of the booster club and the parents. It's been a full-time job and duty for them and they have really stepped in."

Host sites for the Aggie Classic are made up of five high schools and Pensacola State College.

Tate has won the Aggie Classic nine times since the tournament started and finished as champions the last two years in a row.

Tate is off to a 5-3 start and split with Pine Forest in its only District 1-7A series so far this year.